One House : 1 PeterSample

Be Holy (Part 2)

Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, ‘You shall be holy, for I am holy.’

1 Peter 1:13–16 ESV

What does it mean to call something holy?

In the Old Testament, we see that the temple contained holy furniture. There was a holy table, a holy lampstand, a holy basin. Why were these common objects holy? Because they were set apart for a single use—to serve God. A table cannot be moral or ethical, it's a table. But a table can be set apart for God, and that makes it holy.

When it comes to God, however, his holiness refers to his transcendence, his complete otherness from a creation marred by sin. God's holiness is not like the holy furniture of the temple; it is more. God's holiness is moral perfection, absolute purity, and separation from sin and evil. When you and I are called to be holy like God is holy, we're being called to God's standard.

What a calling!

Not only are we to be set apart for divine use like the temple furniture, we're called to be set apart from sin. God's holiness is the ultimate standard for our lives. “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”